New Missoula Tourist Attractions Promise to Retain Residents, Bring in New Kind of Tourism

By Brenna Moore, 7-07-06

	Caption: Splash Montana, the Missoula Skatepark, and Brennan's Wave are expected to bring a new group of tourists to Missoula. Photos by Amanda Determan.

A refreshing new waterpark with towering slides and a lazy river, an exhilerating whitewater park where kayaks playfully dart above and below the Clark Fork River's surface, a challenging and unique skatepark where skaters of all ages can come and enjoy the obstacles -- all three are new to Missoula, and all three promise to keep tourists and citizens in Missoula longer, if not create a new kind of tourism for the city.

Missoula's newest tourist attractions; Brennan's Wave (which was completed in March), Splash Montana (which opened last month) and the Missoula Skatepark (set for completion in August) are expected to draw a new tourist group into Missoula, one that differs from the usual hikers, bikers and Lewis-and-Clark-history-seekers.

Although no distinct shift in Missoula tourism has of yet been noticed, the numbers of people traveling to Missoula specifically for these attractions are expected to increase in the future as they become better known and have been established for a while, said Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Barbara Neilen. Even so, "they are wonderful additions which keep people in town longer," Neilen said.

"They are all family attractions, which when added to the wonderful venue of attractions that Missoula already has, create so much for people to see and do in Missoula," she said.

These new attractions all started as a vision of a small group of people who wished to see new types of activities brought to Missoula, Neilen said. For Splash Montana, it was to cater to the community and the surrounding communities' need for an outdoor waterpark, where families could go and relax and have fun in the sweltering summer heat. And Missoulians no longer have to travel outside of town to get the thrills and chills of a waterpark, now it is right outside their doors.

"Splash Montana is just one piece in an incredible waterpark system throughout Missoula that I believe provides something for all ages and abilities," Neilen said.



Brennan's Wave was constructed for kayakers and surfers who desired a waterpark located in the heart of Missoula, and was also built to honor the vision and life of Brennan Guth, a kayaker who died in a boating accident in 2001. With the whitewater addition, avid rafters, kayakers, surfers and tubers of all skill levels from across the state are brought into the heart of downtown Missoula, making Missoula a top destination for whitewater enthusiasts.

"Brennan's Wave... is a testament to the life, passion and vision of Brennan Guth -- what a wonderful gift for Missoula!" Neilen said.

As for the Missoula Skatepark, its completion in August will also mean the completion of the dream of two young men, as well as the dreams of their fellow skateboarders.

"The skatepark has come from a need to provide the growing skating population in Missoula with a safe, challenging and fun venue to practice their sport," Neilen said.



The skatepark has incredible potential in bringing a new type of tourism to Missoula, said Missoula Skatepark Association President Chris Bacon. "People travel hundreds of miles to skate these skateparks, and that's definitely going to happen here as well," he said.

Many skateboarders, including pros and amatures, are going to be traveling to Missoula in the future for a chance to plant their wheels on this new attraction, Bacon said. Younger skateboarders are going to be coming in with their parents, he said, who might not have thought about stopping in Missoula before because they felt there wasn't enough for their kids to do.

All three visions for the new attractions grew to a reality through the generosity, dedication and hard work of this community, and each is a welcome addition to an incredibly diverse and vibrant community, Neilen said.

"Although Missoula does not have one specific attraction that draws people to this area, I believe we have unparalleled recreational and cultural opportunities that keep people coming back again and again -- and that is really what (tourism) is all about!" she said. [End of article]